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Little Grebe

Little Grebe

Tachybaptus ruficollis

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The Little Grebe, or Dabchick, is the smallest grebe of Europe, Asia and Africa, a tiny, round diving bird with a “powder-puff” rear. In breeding plumage it has a rich chestnut neck and cheeks and a yellow spot at the base of the bill; in winter it is buffy brown. It breeds on small, well-vegetated freshwater ponds and lakes. Most populations are resident, moving only where waters freeze.

Did you know?

  • It is the smallest grebe in Europe, Asia and Africa.
  • Its trilling call is often compared to a whinnying horse.

Voice

Call

About the species

Identification

The smallest European grebe: very compact and round, with a short neck and a short bill with a pale patch at the base. In breeding plumage the neck and cheeks are chestnut, the crown and back dark; in winter it is buffy grey-brown with a pale throat. It swims low and dives frequently, which together with its small size and lack of head plumes separates it from other grebes.

Family

Podicipedidae

Size

Medium (thrush)

Colours

brown, black, orange, yellow

About the habitat

Small to medium freshwater ponds, marshy lakes, canals and slow rivers with plenty of cover; in winter also more open waters and sheltered bays.

Diet

Mainly aquatic insects and their larvae, small crustaceans and snails, as well as small fish and tadpoles, caught by short dives.

Behaviour

Shy and skulking, it keeps close to emergent vegetation and dives frequently, often vanishing among reeds. When alarmed it can sink slowly like a periscope. It builds a floating nest in dense vegetation, lays 4–7 eggs and covers them with weed when leaving; the chicks often ride on a parent's back. Its call is a rapid, whinnying trill.

Sources

Photo: Andreas Trepte, CC BY-SA 2.5 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Little grebe Zwergtaucher.jpg

Sound: Flor WMCH, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tachybaptus_ruficollis_(call).wav

Text: Wikipedia (English) + FinBIF species descriptions, CC BY-SA 4.0; FinBIF: CC BY 4.0 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Little_grebe

See also